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So When Will Kansas Try To Buy Uranium From Niger?

Great article ["Let Them Eat Corn," Colin Wright, ETS!, Feb. 1]! But Georgie boy called to reduce gasoline consumption 20 percent in ten years. This is way different than oil (think E-85 and starving Ethiopians, Mexicans, etc.).

I've heard the entire corn crop converted to ethanol would supply about seven percent of our gasoline. Doesn't seem possible.

--Carl Carlson, Montpelier, VT

C.W. replies: Carl, Thanks for the correction. I'll be sure to fire our fact-checker. Of course, gasoline is an oil distillate, so reducing one is not much different from reducing the other. And since 69 percent of our oil is used for transportation, my contention that Bush is covering up for imminent peak oil is not altered. (For any peak-oil-doubters, or anyone needing to brush up on their petroleum geology, I'd highly recommend Professor Deffeyes' book Hubbert's Peak.)

The figure I came across from Science magazine was that the entire US corn crop would supply only about 16 percent of current fuel consumption. So I don't think you're far off.

The problem is of course that there is a large agribusiness lobby in Washington. There is no money to be made promoting energy conservation, nor any lobby for future generations. Except us.